Lunar cryostat



Nov. 28, 1967 N. P. RUZIC 3,355,050

LUNAR CRYOSTAT Filed Sept. 2, 1964 INVENTOR.

NEIL P RUZ/C BY M United States Patent Ofihce 3,355,050 LUNAR CRYOSTAT Neil P. Ruzic, Beverly Shores, Ind. 46301 Filed Sept. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 393,969 3 Claims. (Cl. 2209) The present invention relates to a cryostat which may be employed in the vacuum and other conditions found on the moon. It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide such a cryostat.

It is known that temperatures approaching absolute zero, that is below 20 K. is extremely useful for both cryogenic research and for manufacturing and processing techniques under cryogenic conditions. By the device of the present invention it is possible readily to achieve and maintain such low temperatures on the moon at night.

In the drawings appended hereto:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cryostat made as herein taught;

FIGURE 2 is a side view thereof; and

FIGURE 3 is a top view.

The present device consists of a plurality of dishshaped insulation-reflector shields which are stacked in the form of an appropriate unit member and wherein the individual members of the stack are separated from each other by legs or other separation elements made of materials characterized by high thermal insulation properties. Alternatively, metallized plastic films of irregular crinkling could be. used which would eliminate the need for such separation elements.

The essential feature of my cryostat is to provide for shielding against re-radiated heat from the moon surface and further shielding against higher elevational structures such as mountains which may surround the area in which such device is being used. At the same time the device must be so made as to progressively minimize the radiation of heat to successive dish structures above in the stack.

The device is to be used during the lunar night. In the vacuum of the lunar atmosphere and during the lunar night the only source of heat to be shielded against is the radiated heat of the moon itself. If it is deemed desirable, surface shielding may also be used above the device to cover against remote radiation from the earth (or from the impact of micrometeoritea) although the device will function better on the side of the moon opposed to the earth.

The device consists of a series of dish-shaped members 11 which are separated from each other by the separating means 12. Each dish may be made of materials such as thin sheet aluminum, aluminum foil, or other materials of high radiant heat reflectance or plastic-coated alu- 3,355,050 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 minum or similar materials. The high reflecting surface is provided on the bottom surface of the shield, whereas a heat absorbent surface is provided on the top face thereof. To provide absorbent surface on the top face the shield is most preferably made black.

To operate the device is most simple. One need only to provide an appropriate number of stacks 11 separated by the elements 12 in the vacuum environment of a lunar surface and place the material 13 to be treated at the cryogenic temperatures in the center portion on the top of the uppermost shield. The temperature required for treatment may be varied by the number of shields which are employed.

It will be understood that various modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit or scope of the novel concepts of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lunar cryostat comprising in combination: a nesting stack of a plurality of spaced upwardly concave dishshaped members, each of said dish-shaped members being characterized by a diametrical curvature adequate to block lateral thermal radiation from entering the innermost portion thereof, each of said members having its convex surface highly reflective to radiant heat and its opposed concave surface highly absorbent to radiant heat, said stack being formed so as to have all like surfaces facing in the same direction and to have a convex heat reflecting surface at the bottom of said stack and wherein the top of said stack and the spaces between each of said dish-shaped members are open to ambient environment, and thermal insulating means separating the dish-shaped members of said stack from each other.

2. The cryostat as defined in claim 1 wherein said thermal insulating means are leg-like structures.

3. The cryostat as defined in claim 1 wherein said thermal insulating means are integral with said dish-shaped members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,956,356 4/1934 Justheim 22010 1,964,795 7/ 1934 Frary 2209 2,037,813 4/ 1936 Munters 2209 2,053,252 9/1936 Cook et al 220-9 2,119,438 5/1938 OLeary 2209 2,196,373 4/ 1940 Wallach 2209 3,018,016 3/1965 Hnilicka 22015 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,527 11/ 1963 Australia.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. JAMES R. GARRETT, Examiner. 

1. A LUNAR CRYOSTAT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A NESTING STACK OF A PLURALITY OF SPACED UPWARDLY CONCAVE DISHSHAPED MEMBERS, EACH OF SAID DISH-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING CHARACTERIZED BY A DIAMETRICAL CURVATURE ADEQUATE TO BLOCK LATERAL THERMAL RADIATION FROM ENTERING THE INNERMOST PORTION THEREOF, EACH OF SAID MEMBERS HAVING ITS CONVEX SURFACE HIGHLY REFLECTIVE TO RADIANT HEAT AND ITS OPPOSED CONCAVE SURFACE HIGHLY ABSORBENT TO RADIANT HEAT, SAID STACK BEING FORMED SO AS TO HAVE ALL LIKE SURFACES FACING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND TO HAVE A CONVEX HEAT REFLECTING SURFACE AT THE BOTTOM OF SAID STACK AND WHEREIN THE TOP OF SAID STACK AND THE SPACES BETWEEN EACH OF SAID DISH-SHAPED MEMBERS ARE OPEN TO AMBIENT ENVIRONMENT, AND THERMAL INSULATING MEANS SEPARATING THE DISH-SHAPED MEMBERS OF SAID STACK FROM EACH OTHER. 